Director’s Notes with Haimy Assefa |
“Precious Okoyomon’s Creative Destruction”

Precious’s work is so vast. They have the ability to express themselves through so many different mediums, and I love that their work communicates a level of freedom. At a glance, it can feel like the various mediums are in their own worlds, but I see them as layers that have a throughline. In sections […]

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Jordan Strafer stands in front of a camera setup on a film set, with lighting equipment and a vase of flowers visible in the background.

“Jordan Strafer’s True Stories” New Art21 Film to Premiere August 19, 2026

Art21 today announced the release of “Jordan Strafer’s True Stories,” a new documentary film exploring the process and works of video artist Jordan Strafer.

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Sable Elyse Smith wearing wire glasses and a white shirt looks down intently, with dreadlocks, gold jewelry, and freckles visible.

“Sable Elyse Smith: Turn Things Over”
New Art21 Film to Premiere August 5, 2026

Art21 announced the premiere of “Sable Elyse Smith: Turn Things Over,” a new documentary film. From her New Jersey studio and BOFFO Fire Island Pines residency to a career-spanning exhibition at The Contemporary Austin, this short follows Smith as she transforms the language and materials of institutional power structures, such as the carceral system, into art that highlights systemic harms.

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Precious Okoyomon with braided hair and a light sweater lies on a textured rug, smiling, surrounded by colorful stuffed toys.

“Precious Okoyomon’s Creative Destruction”
New Art21 Film to Premiere July 22, 2026

Art21 today announced the release of “Precious Okoyomon’s Creative Destruction,” a new documentary film about the artist’s expansive practice. The short film traces Okoyomon’s unique creative trajectory rooted in childhood experiences gardening with their grandmother and collecting toys.

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José de Jesús Rodríguez stands painting on a canvas in a bright studio filled with art supplies, canvases, and sculptures, with a table covered in paints and tools in the foreground.

Director’s Notes with Andrea Yu-Chieh Chung | “José de Jesús Rodríguez’s Back & Forth”

When my colleague and I first met José during our initial studio visit before production for this film began, he told us that things were about to ‘get weird’ in the studio. He had just come out of his first solo show in New York and was pondering what was next. It was a great privilege to work with José in this time of transition and transformation, as he experimented with new materials and found new ways to ground himself in the studio.

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José de Jesús Rodríguez in a white t-shirt stands at a cluttered work table in an art studio, surrounded by art supplies, paintings, and natural light from large windows.

“José de Jesús Rodríguez’s Back & Forth”
New Art21 Film to Premiere May 27, 2026

Art21 today announced the release of “José de Jesús Rodríguez’s Back & Forth,” a new documentary film following the New York City-based painter in a moment of creative transition as he brings processes like mosaic and relief sculpture into an emerging body of work.

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A collage of four artists: a woman sits on marble steps, a man is scanned by cameras, a smiling woman in a kitchen, and someone with face paint being applied.

Next Episode of Art21’s Art in the Twenty-First Century to Premiere in June

Art21 announces the premiere of “Human Nature,” the next episode of its acclaimed documentary series Art in the Twenty-First Century on PBS. The episode features internationally renowned artists Lenka Clayton, Josh Kline, Delcy Morelos, and Sin Wai Kin.

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Two people in a workshop use torches to work on a metal sculpture; tools, gas tanks, and art supplies are visible around them.

Director’s Notes with Adam Golfer | “Camille Henrot: In Movement”

Camille is in perpetual motion, and a lot of the film was trying to learn her rhythms: in the studio, in the editing room, in the foundry. Her interests are wide-ranging, but her ‘hand,’ and her particular way of looking at the world held things together no matter what she was working on.

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Camille Henrot wearing round glasses and a red bandana looks to the side with a serious expression.

New Art21 Documentary Follows Camille Henrot as She Completes New Work for the New Museum’s Reopening

Tracing her practice across painting, sculpture, and film, “Camille Henrot: In Movement” premieres April 22.

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